New airplane eliminates jet lag

Travel & Tourism

The Airbus A350 XWB counteracts jet lag through LED lights, which change color temperature to mimic the natural shifts in sunlight.

Ever since the conception of long-haul air travel, the effects of jet lag have been a blight on holidays and business trips alike. We have seen products such as a spray and a superfruit drink help to limit the tiredness caused by traveling halfway across the world, but now, Airbus has developed a new plane that could eliminate jet lag. The A350 XWB uses LED lights, which changes color temperature to mimic the natural shifts in sunlight.

Jet lag is a psychological condition, resulting from the movement through different time zones, which disrupts the body’s natural circadian rhythm. The A350 jet significantly diminishes this through a combination of a humidification system, onboard fresh air and the adaptable colour temperature system, which can produce 16.7 million different light color combinations dependent on the flight length and time zone changes. The LED lights simulate the natural phases of the day during the flight, encouraging passengers’ body clocks to gently adjust during the flight.

The Airbus A350 is currently being used on select luxury flights by Qatar Airlines and Singapore Airlines but could be adapted for regular journeys in the future. Could colour temperature adjustments be used in any other spaces — perhaps in offices where people work unusual hours?